This invention relates to a terminal protection type connector in which the elastic contact parts of the terminals thereof are protected which are exposed outside the connector housing.
FIG. 7 shows a conventional terminal protection type connector disclosed by Japanese Utility Patent Application (OPI) No. 146982/1988 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an "unexamined published application"). As shown in FIG. 7, the conventional terminal protection type connector 35 is provided with a distribution box 36 having a mating female connector 37.
The terminal protection type connector 35 comprises: a male connector housing 38 having openings 41; and terminals 39 built in the male connector housing 38, the terminals 39 having elastic contacts 40 which are set in the openings 41 of the housing 38; and a slide cover 43 slidably engaged with two guides 42 on both sides of the housing 38 so as to close and open the openings 41.
The female connector 37 is provided with terminals 45 of a flexible printed circuit 44 which is bonded to a distribution box. The elastic contacts 40 are exposed by opening the cover 43 of the terminal protection type connector 35, so as to be connected to the terminals 45 of the printed circuit 44.
The terminal protection type connector 35 thus designed is disadvantageous in the following points: That is, since the male connector housing 38 has the guides 42 for the slide cover 43 as was described above, the connector 35 is relatively large in thickness, and accordingly the female connector 37 is also large in volume. In addition, opening the cover 43 for every connection of the connector is rather troublesome.